Some schools will serve free meals to all, thanks to new federal program

Monica Eng and Tara Malone, Tribune reporters

Any school in Illinois where at least 40 percent of students are needy will be able to serve free meals to all children, regardless of family income, starting this fall as part of a pilot program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Across Illinois, 125 districts have at least one school that is eligible, and the program could affect up to 1,235 schools in all, according to preliminary numbers from the Illinois State Board of Education. Districts can decide whether to participate on a school-by-school basis.

In Chicago, home to the state's largest district, the vast majority of schools would qualify for the universal free meals. But officials said Monday that they haven't determined if they will participate, saying they don't yet know how the program would affect the bottom line in a district with a $712 million deficit.

The USDA last week announced that Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee were chosen to launch the Universal Meal Service pilot program, taking the state board by surprise. Since then, state and district administrators have been busily crunching numbers to see whether it makes economic sense to introduce the program as early as next month.

Designed to cut paperwork for school officials and streamline the process of obtaining free meals for needy families, the program is scheduled to be rolled out nationwide by the 2014-15 school year.

At schools where the vast majority of students already receive free meals, the program would be nearly undetectable. But in schools where up to 60 percent of the students do not receive any public aid, it has the potential to bring about a culture shift.

Currently, schools determine eligibility for free or reduced-price meals by sending home forms to parents who are asked to declare their financial situation.

The new program would estimate the percentage of needy children in a school through existing government records on people enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps), those receiving Temporary Assistance For Needy Families, and homeless and migrant families.

If 40 percent or more of a school's students fall into those categories, it could offer universally free meals under what the USDA is calling the Community Eligibility Option.

"Community eligibility is a great way for schools to cut through burdensome red tape for themselves and low-income families so that children in high-poverty areas have access to the nutrition they need to learn and thrive," Agriculture Undersecretary Kevin Concannon said in a statement.

Participating schools would offer free meals to all, but receive federal reimbursement based on the percentage of needy children. If the reimbursement is less than the total meal costs, the district would need to pay the difference.

That equation didn't make fiscal sense for West Aurora School District 129, where none of the district's three eligible schools will participate, spokesman Mike Chapin said.

"In a district that has very little money right now, it doesn't look like the program fits our profile," Chapin said. "We would lose money."

Hill Elementary School, for example, receives $23,865 from students who buy cafeteria meals and from the free and reduced-price lunches that are reimbursed by the state. Under the universal meal option, the school would receive $17,576 instead, the district estimated. About 43 percent of the school's students meet the income guidelines.

Officials in the state's second-largest school district, Elgin's School District U-46, said they also plan to take a pass. State records show that a dozen of the district's 53 schools are eligible to take part.

In Springfield, however, officials with School District 186 lauded the new meal program. The district will not lose money on the initiative, and all 18 eligible schools will participate, said food services director Jan Miller. Free lunches could begin as soon as next month at two schools where students attend year-round classes.

Miller said the program will ease schools' paperwork burden and eliminate the stigma often associated with taking a free cafeteria meal.

"Every child in the building can just walk in and get their meal. There are no hassles with who's paying and who's not paying," Miller said. "If this works, and it's a trial, it'll be a good thing."